Image synthesization method

1. A panoramic image synthesizing system which synthesizes a plurality of images to create a one panoramic image on the basis of matching points representing the relations of the plurality of images where parts of their image areas overlap other images, said system comprising: in a first synthesizing mode point designation means for designating points in the overlapping areas: operation means for cutting out a predetermined-sized partial image based on the points designated by said point designation means, and performing an image superimposing operation to manually superimpose the cut-out image on the other image; and first synthesizing means for extracting the matching points corresponding to the points designated by said point designation means in a predetermined first searching area based on the position where the images are superimposed by said operation means, and synthesizing the plurality of images on the basis of the extracted matching points to create the one panoramic image, and in a second synthesizing mode determining means for searching a second searching area and determining a synthesizing position of the plurality of images, without performing the manual image superimposing operation; and second synthesizing means for synthesizing the plurality of images on the basis of the determination by said determining means, wherein said first searching area is narrower than said second searching area.

2. A system according to claim 1 , further comprising display means for performing an AND operation for each bit in the unit of pixel between the cut-out image and the other image and transparently displaying both the cut-out image and the other image in the area where the cut-out image and the other image overlap each other, while the cut-out image is being superimposed on the other image by the image superimposing operation.

3. A system according to claim 1 , wherein the cut-out image is a rectangular image which is cut out with a certain size having, as the center, the point designated by said point designation means.

4. A system according to claim 1 , wherein, if the image superimposing operation is performed only once, said first synthesizing means sets that the relation of the cut-out image and the other image is mis-registered only in horizontal and vertical directions.

5. A system according to claim 1 , wherein, when the image superimposing operation is newly performed, new image synthesizing starts on the basis of the setting regarding the plural relations obtained by the image superimposing operation, and the image synthesizing which has been performed till then ends.

6. A panoramic image synthesizing system which synthesizes a plurality of images to create a one panoramic image on the basis of matching points representing the relations of the plurality of images where parts of their image areas overlap other images, said system comprising: in a first synthesizing mode first area designation means for designating a desired area in the overlapping areas; second area designation means for manually designating, in the other image, the area corresponding to the area designated by said first area designation means; and first synthesizing means for extracting the area corresponding to the area designated by said first area designation means in a predetermined-sized image first searching range based on the area designated by said second area designation means, and synthesizing the plurality images on the basis of the extracted area to create the one panoramic image, and in a second synthesizing mode determining means for searching a second searching range and determining a synthesizing position of the plurality of images; and second synthesizing means for synthesizing the plurality of images on the basis of the determination by said determining means, wherein said first searching range is narrower than said second searching range.

7. A panoramic image synthesizing apparatus which synthesizes a plurality of images to create a one panoramic image on the basis of matching points representing the relations of the plurality of images where parts of their image areas overlap other images, said apparatus comprising: in a first synthesizing mode point designation means for designating points in the overlapping areas: operation means for cutting out a predetermined-sized partial image based on the points designated by said point designation means, and performing an image superimposing operation to manually superimpose the cut-out image on the other image; and first synthesizing means for extracting the matching points corresponding to the points designated by said point designation means in a predetermined first searching area based on the position where the images are superimposed by said operation means, and synthesizing the plurality of images on the basis of the extracted matching points to create the one panoramic image, and in a second synthesizing mode determining means for searching a second searching area and determining a synthesizing position of the plurality of images, without performing the manual image superimposing operation; and second synthesizing means for synthesizing the plurality of images on the basis of the determination by said determining means, wherein said first searching area is narrower than said second searching area.

8. An apparatus according to claim 7 , further comprising display means for performing an AND operation for each bit in the unit of pixel between the cut-out image and the other image and transparently displaying both the cut-out image and the other image in the area where the cut-out image and the other image overlap each other, while the cut-out image is being superimposed on the other image by the image superimposing operation.

9. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the cut-out image is a rectangular image which is cut out with a certain size having, as the center, the point designated by said point designation means.

10. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein, if the image superimposing operation is performed only once, said first synthesizing means sets that the relation of the cut-out image and the other image is mis-registered only in horizontal and vertical directions.

11. An apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein, when the image superimposing operation is newly performed, new image synthesizing starts on the basis of the setting regarding the plural relations obtained by the image superimposing operation, and the image synthesizing which has been performed till then ends.

12. A panoramic image synthesizing apparatus which synthesizes a plurality of images to create a one panoramic image on the basis of matching points representing the relations of the plurality of images where parts of their image areas overlap other images, said system comprising: in a first synthesizing mode first area designation means for designating a desired area in the overlapping areas; second area designation means for manually designating, in the other image, the area corresponding to the area designated by said first area designation means; and first synthesizing means for extracting the area corresponding to the area designated by said first area designation means in a predetermined-sized image first searching range based on the area designated by said second area designation means, and synthesizing the plurality images on the basis of the extracted area to create the one panoramic image, and in a second synthesizing mode determining means for searching a second searching range and determining a synthesizing position of the plurality of images; and second synthesizing means for synthesizing the plurality of images on the basis of the determination by said determining means, wherein said first searching range is narrower than said second searching range.

13. A panoramic image synthesizing method which synthesizes a plurality of images to create a one panoramic image on the basis of matching points representing the relations of the plurality of images where parts of their image areas overlap other images, said method comprising: in a first synthesizing mode a point designating step, of designating points in the overlapping areas: an operating step, of cutting out a predetermined-sized partial image based on the points designated by said point designating step, and performing an image superimposing operation to manually superimpose the cut-out image on the other image; and a first synthesizing step, of extracting the matching points corresponding to the points designated by said point designating step in a predetermined first searching area based on the position where the images are superimposed by said operating step, and synthesizing the plurality of images on the basis of the extracted matching points to create the one panoramic image, and in a second synthesizing mode a determining step, of searching a second searching area and determining a synthesizing position of the plurality of images, without performing the manual image superimposing operation; and a second synthesizing step, of synthesizing the plurality of images on the basis of the determination by said determining step, wherein said first searching area is narrower than said second searching area.

14. A method according to claim 13 , further comprising a displaying step, of performing an AND operation for each bit in the unit of pixel between the cut-out image and the other image and transparently displaying both the cut-out image and the other image in the area where the cut-out image and the other image overlap each other, while the cut-out image is being superimposed on the other image by the image superimposing operation.

15. A method according to claim 13 , wherein the cut-out image is a rectangular image which is cut out with a certain size having, as the center, the point designated by said point designating step.

16. A method according to claim 13 , wherein, if the image superimposing operation is performed only once, said first synthesizing step sets that the relation of the cut-out image and the other image is mis-registered only in horizontal and vertical directions.

17. A method according to claim 13 , wherein, when the image superimposing operation is newly performed, new image synthesizing starts on the basis of the setting regarding the plural relations obtained by the image superimposing operation, and the image synthesizing which has been performed till then ends.

18. A panoramic image synthesizing method which synthesizes a plurality of images to create a one panoramic image on the basis of matching points representing the relations of the plurality of images where parts of their image areas overlap other images, said system comprising: in a first synthesizing mode a first area designating step, of designating a desired area in the overlapping areas; a second area designating step, of manually designating, in the other image, the area corresponding to the area designated by said first area designating step; and a first synthesizing step, of extracting the area corresponding to the area designated by said first area designating step in a predetermined-sized image first searching range based on the area designated by said second area designating step, and synthesizing the plurality images on the basis of the extracted area to create the one panoramic image, and in a second synthesizing mode a determining step, of searching a second searching range and determining a synthesizing position of the plurality of images; and a second synthesizing step, of synthesizing the plurality of images on the basis of the determination by said determining step, wherein said first searching range is narrower than said second searching range.